Anti-trapping traverse



Oct.; 22, 1957 G. s. TUCKER ANTI-TRAPPING TRAVERSE Filed July 13, 1954 5 i. i H W m w w 7@ United States Patent@ ANTI-TRAPPING TRAVERSE George G. Tucker, Auburn, Ind., assignor to Hubbard Spool Company, Garrett, 1nd., a corporation of Illinois Application July 13, 1954, Serial No. 443,006

2 Claims. (Cl. 242-118.7)

The present invention relates to the manufacture of reels and more particularly is concerned with the construction of a reel having 'an inexpensively manufactured traverse and structure associated therewith for preventing the trapping of material wound upon the traverse between the ends of the traverse and the reel heads.

As is well understood in the reel and spool industry, small economies made in the manufacture of reels are highly important in maintaining ones competitive position. Such economies cannot, however, be successfully effected through a reduction in the safety of the device, or in any way which would noticeablyl be of inferior workmanship. The present invention is concerned with the manufacture of an inexpensive reel, capable of manufacture in a somewhat simpler manner than the prior art and having the additional structural feature of rigidity as well as means absolutely preventing the entrapment of wound wire or similar material between the ends of the traverse and the reel heads.

Applicant is, of course, aware of prior art developments wherein reels have been constructed utilizing a generally cylindrical traverse having the opposite ends thereof anged radially inwardly and secured by appropriate bolts to wood or composition reel heads. Such a construction provides a relatively simple apparatus but several difliculties have been encountered as a result of this type of reel construction. In the rst place, if the radially inwardly hanged ends of the cylindrical traverse are not sharply anged in order to provide a very sharp angle at the junction between the flange and the cylindrical body portion of the traverse, material wound on the traverse has a tendency to be caught in the rounded corner between the traverse .and the reel heads. On the other hand, however, if the junction between the inwardly turned ange and the cylindrical Ibody portion of the traverse is very sharply formed the cost is substantially increased and also, the excessive deformation of the metal necessary to achieve such a result weakens the traverse at the junction point between the main body of the traverse and the radially inturned anges.

By means of the present invention, applicant has provided a reel utilizing an easily manufactured, somewhat rounded junction between the main body of the traverse and the radially inturned anges and has used in combination therewith an external sleeve rigidly cooperating with the reel heads at its opposite ends to prevent any possibility of trapping material wound on the traverse. By this arrangement, sharply defined corners between the radially inturned end flanges and the main portion of the traverse are not necessary and the steps necessary to achieve them may be discarded. Further, the gradual curve permits retention of maximum strength at the junction point and this strength, in combination with the additional strength provided by the cooperation between the external sleeve and the reel heads, provides an extremely durable reel capable of carrying relatively line wire or the like without danger of trapping, buckling or other injury to the reel traverse or heads.

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It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved traverse construction incapable of trapping material wound thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an extremely strong reel construction in an inexpensive manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel reel having an anti-trapping traverse cooperating with wood or composition rcel heads.

A feature of the present invention is a cylindrical sleeve resiliently embedded in the heads of a reel and cooperating therewith to provide support for the material wound on the reel.

Another feature of the present invention is a traverse for reels or the like, comprising a simplied bolting flange by which the traverse is secured to the reel heads.

Still other and further features and objects of the present invention will at once become apparent to those skilled in the art from Ia consideration of the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a reel constructed according to the present invention and showing the traverse thereof in cross section; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial view in cross section illustrating a modified form of traverse constructed according to the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

As may be seen from a consideration of Figure 1, applicants reel structure comprises a pair of reel heads 10 rigidly secured to a traverse 11 by means of bolts 12 to provide a complete reel. The traverse comprises a generally cylindrical body portion 11a and radially inturned end flanges 11b having a peripheral junction point 11C with the body portion 11a. The curved nature of the portions 11e causes an annular gap or groove indicated at 10a. Preferably, the traverse 11 is manufactured from cylindrical tubing by spinning over the iianges 11b. However, it is to be understood that the present invention includes within its scope the manufacture of the traverse 11 from rolled sheets formed into a cylindrical shape, or other similar manufacturing processes.

Encircling the traverse 11 is a tubular sleeve 13. Preferably, the sleeve 13 is manufactured of sheet metal welded into a tube, or alternatively, from a length of steel tubing. While the thickness of the metal used in the sleeve 13 may, of course, vary somewhat it is preferred that it be substantially the same thickness as the metal forming the traverse 11. The length of the sleeve 13 is slightly greater than the axial length of the traverse 11 and the internal diameter of the sleeve is slightly larger than the external diameter of the traverse 11 so that the sleeve may be slid onto the traverse endwise, manu-ally.

Assembly -of the reel is accomplished by assembling a sleeve 13 upon a traverse 11 and bolting the heads 10 to the flanges 11b by means of bolts 12. The bolts 12 are tightened down against the flanges 11b, causing the ends of the sleeve 13 to cut into the material of the heads 10 and thereby cover the peripheral gap between portions 11C and 10a. For this purpose, it is preferred that the heads 10 comprise either wood, or a fiber composition suiciently compressible to permit the ends of the sleeve 13 to sink in to a slight degree. It is contemplated that the heads 10 may also ybe manufactured of suitable plastic resin bonded fibers or similar modern structural materials without departing from the scope of the invention but in selecting such materials it is to be understood that a suitable material must permit at least a slight indentation of the sleeve 13 thereinto when the bolts 12 are securely tightened.

In tightening the bolts 12 it will be understood that the nuts 12a utilized therewith are preferably secured :o .the anges 11b by welding or other securing technique. Such an arrangement will permit the ready assembly of `:he heads to the traverse 11 without diiiiculty and simrlities Construction greatly. It will be understood, however, that the nuts 12a may be secured to the anges in my conventional manner in situations Where welding is zxpensive, as in the c-ase of certain alloys requiring special fluxes and atmospheric conditions.

As may be seen in Figure l, the ends of the sleeve 13 ire square. It has been found that this construction is very satisfactory when the heads 10 are constructed of wood or a similar, relatively soft material. However, when therslightly harder plastic compositions are utilized it is preferred that a slight bevel be provided as at 13a in Figure 2. The bevel 13a provides an outer peripheral edge 13b on the sleeve 13. The ,peripheral edge 13b will thus engage the material of the head 10 only at the outermost edge, thereby permitting the concentrated application of force at that point and permitting an entry of the Sleeve into the material of the head 10. Although theA entry of the sleeve into the head I0 may be only a relatively nominal amount, even a slight entry eliminates all possibility of trapping of material between the junction 11e and the adjacent portion 16a of the head. At this point, it will be noted that .the inherent resiliency of the sleeves 13 or 13' Will `act as lock Washers to apply a constant resilient tension against the bolts 12. This tension will prevent the bolts 12 from becoming loosened in use or transportation of the reel and has permitted elimination of lock washers in many uses. v It is noted that in some instances, especially where the heads 10 are constructed of inexpensive wood, one of the heads may be softer than the other, thereby causing the sleeve 13 to embed itself mainly in one head. In cases where the `invention is to be used with such heads it is contemplated that the sleeve 13 be spot welded at several points to the traverse 11 While in a centered posi' tion. action at both ends.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a novel and highly effective reel construction having lan antitrapping transverse and an unusuallyrigid, reinforced ping of wire or similar material wound on the traverse of the reel during initial winding thereof is completely prevented.

It will of course be understood that variations and modifications may be made in the above described structure without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of my invention. It is therefore my intention that the invention hereinabove set forth be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims;

I claim as my invention:

l. A reel having an anti-trapping traverse comprising a pair of reel heads constructed of a semi-resilient material, a traverse positioned between Said heads and having a cylindrical wall and inturned ilanges on the opposite ends thereof and extending Aperpendicular to said wall for supporting and maintaining said heads in parallel relation with respect to each other, a sleeve slidably mounted on said traverse in engagement with the wall thereof, said sleeve being of a greater length than the length of said traverse and having its ends beveled to provide penetration of said sleeve in said heads upon tightening of said.' heads into engagement with said an'ges, and means securing said reel heads to said anges in parallel relation with respect to each other and causing said sleeve to penetrate said heads and thereby providing a sharp right angle corner between said sleeve and said reel heads.

Such fastening insures its proper anti-trapping f construction, the parts of which are all under constant 5 tension or compression. This stressed assembly prevents any looseness between the parts, thereby preventing the development of any trapping tendencies during shipment or use of reel and in view of the embedding of the ends of the sleeve 13y in the material of the heads, any trap 2'. A reel structure having an anti-trapping traverse comprising, a pair of reel heads constructed of a semiresilient material, a cylindrical traverse position between said reel heads and having inturned ends extending perpendicularly to the Wall of said traverse, a sleeve mounted on said ltraverse for relative movement with respect thereto and being longer than said traverse, and meansl securing said reel heads to said inturne'd flanges in abutting relation with respect thereto and tightening said reel heads against the ends of said sleeve and securely embedding said sleeve within said heads comprising a plurality of nuts secured to the inner surface of said inturned anges and bolts associated with said nuts and passing through said heads and iianges for threaded cooperation with said nuts.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,475,704 Kaufmann Nov. 27, i923 2,613,049 Hawley Oct. 7, 19'52 

